Remembering Joseph Hill and Culture
Joseph Hill, January 22, 1949 – August 19, 2006
I have to thank my wife for the infusion of more reggae into my life. She’s an island girl (Seychelles), and has grown up loving reggae. One of the great groups she has introduced me to is Culture. They are reggae legends, but I wasn’t familiar with them until I met her.
Today turned into reggae day for us. We watched Countryman earlier this afternoon. It’s a 1982 film about the adventures of a peaceful rastafarian fisherman. It has an awesome soundtrack of great reggae tunes. So naturally it put us into the reggae mood. So we put on Culture for the rest of the day. In cruising around the web checking out the Wikipedias and the YouTubes, I came to discover that Joseph Hill, lead singer of the group, passed away exactly one year ago today (August 19th). It was after a gig in Germany a year ago that Hill collapsed. It was later attributed to liver failure.
Hill formed Culture in Jamaica in 1976 with his cousin Albert Walker and Kenneth Dayes. They soon joined up with producer Joe Gibbs and engineer Errol Thompson, who would help Culture record a string of classic reggae albums, starting with 1977’s Two Sevens Clash. They also worked with some premier musicians of the day, including Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare.
Let’s remember Joseph Hill today with some classic Culture tunes, one of the true pioneers of roots reggae.
Culture – I’m Not Ashamed – extended version, from Two Sevens Clash: The 30th Anniversary Edition
Culture – Jah Rastafari – from International Herb
Here’s a full 2003 set from Shrewsbury, UK at the Buttermarket:
Ickmusic Giveaway: Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars DVD
My wife and I just got done watching the newly released DVD Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. As far as the horrifying subject matter that forms the backdrop of this documentary – which is the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone – I feel much the way I felt after watching Hotel Rwanda: enraged and ashamed at the atrocities that occur, yet filled with awe and admiration for the people who rise above it all to help others. In Hotel Rwanda, it was Paul Rusesabagina who sheltered and ultimately saved over a thousand fellow Rwandans in his Kigali hotel, the Hôtel des Mille Collines. In this inspiring DVD, it’s Reuben Koroma, “Franco” Langba, “Black Nature”, and their fellow members of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars who use the power of music to overcome their traumatic pasts, and to help others through theirs as well.
The film follows the All Stars from the refugee camps of Guinea – where thousands of Sierra Leone’s people fled to escape the violence in their home country – to their return to Sierra Leone in 2004. There, they recorded an album, and have since toured the world. They are in the midst of a U.S. tour as we speak, so do yourself a big favor and rent/buy this DVD, buy their album, and go see them live if they’re coming to your area. My wife and I will be seeing them here in Scottsdale on February 17th.
Here’s the trailer on YouTube. You can view higher quality trailers on this Quicktime link or this Windows Media Player link.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSgY6n_ek_g 336 278]
GIVEAWAY: To celebrate the August 14th release of this amazing film, I have a copy of the DVD available to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment below to be entered. I’ll pick out a winner in a few days.
Now for some important links:
- Buy the DVD here.
- Visit their Official Site.
- Visit their MySpace.
- Visit the film’s Official Site.
- Check out their Tour Dates.
- Buy their CD, Living Like a Refugee.
Ickmusic Live: The Human League, 1980
Dropping back into the early new wave scene, we go to a June 1980 show featuring the original lineup of the Human League. The founding members were Philip Oakey, Martyn Ware, Ian Craig Marsh, and Philip Adrian Wright (who ran films and slide shows onstage, but was still credited as a full band member). Oakey remains today as the only original member of the still functioning Human League. Ware and Marsh left the group in late 1980 and went on to form Heaven 17.
I’m no aficionado of science fiction or video games, but the name Human League comes from the game Starforce: Alpha Centauri, one of the first sci-fi games.
So the sound quality of this show is not superb, in fact some would argue that it’s shitty, but I still like to listen to shows like this as sort of a historical document – a piece of music history. So Human Leaguers – behold!
The Human League
June 10th, 1980
VPRO Radio, AmsterdamIntro
Dreams Of Leaving
Almost Medieval
A Crow and a Baby
Perfect Day
Marianne
Empire State Human
Rock ‘N RollCheck the Human League out on
.MORE ELECTRO GOODNESS – As an early electronic music bonus, Radio Free Wohlman has an entire podcast “transmission” dedicated to the Kraftwerk family tree. Check the post out here. An hour full of Kraftwerk history. Well worth your while, friends.
Old School Friday
Well I’m back from a little family vay-kay to the beaches of San Diego, and the crowded, expensive, but still fun destinations of $eaworld and Di$neyland. We happened to be at Disneyland to experience the phenomenon that is Disney’s High School Musical. The premiere of High School Musical 2 took place on Tuesday while we were there. Before the premiere, the kids from HSM rode in a little cavalcade through Disneyland. I’ll have you know that Vanessa Hudgens totally looked right into my camera as she rode by with Ashley Tisdale. See?
I assured my wife that there was nothing between us, that she just had an innocent crush on this studly 37 year old father of 2 from Arizona. “Some things I just can’t control, babe” I coyly remarked. After the ladies came the latest cover subject of Rolling Stone, Zac Efron.
I also assured Zac that nothing was going on between me and Vanessa, ’cause she’s like totally his girlfriend in real life and stuff.
So is that a great segue into another installment of Old School Friday or what? Sometimes, we all just need a little Midnight Star, don’t we?
Midnight Star –
Freakazoid(mp3)Midnight Star –
No Parking on the Dance Floor(mp3)Boss News! Magic due Oct 2
photo by Mark SeligerBoss news from Backstreets!
New album: Magic Due October 2
It’s official. Springsteen’s first album with the E Street Band since 2002’s The Rising drops in less than seven weeks, and it’s called Magic. In case that title makes you, like us, think of Doug Henning… click the Mark Seliger photo at right for a first peek at Bruce’s 2007 look. No rainbows or unicorns to be found. (And that guitar… that’s magic.)
According to manager Jon Landau, quoted in today’s press release from Shore Fire Media, this one’s a rocker: “Magic is a high energy rock CD. It’s light on its feet, incredibly well played by Bruce and the members of the E Street Band, and, as always, has plenty to say. It’s also immensely entertaining. Magic is the third collaboration between Bruce and Brendan O’Brien and is a culmination of their very productive creative relationship.”
O’Brien produced and mixed the album at his home base in Atlanta, Southern Tracks Recording Studio.
Ready for 11 new Springsteen song titles?
1. Radio Nowhere
2. You’ll Be Comin’ Down
3. Livin’ in the Future
4. Your Own Worst Enemy
5. Gypsy Biker
6. Girls in Their Summer Clothes
7. I’ll Work for Your Love
8. Magic
9. Last to Die
10. Long Walk Home
11. Devil’s ArcadeOf these, only “Long Walk Home” has been heard before; Springsteen debuted the song with the Sessions Band and played it live exactly once, in London on November 11, 2006 (reportedly the day after he wrote it).
Bet on “Radio Nowhere” as the first of these tracks we’ll get to hear. When, exactly, remains to be seen — stay tuned.
I think my feelings are best summed up by this Pointer Sisters lyric in the voice of a young William Shatner: “I’m so excited, and… I just… can’t hide it! I’m about to lose control… and… I think I like it!!”
8/17 Update: Additional details from Rolling Stone.
Faces / Stones Synergy
In the “It’s Sort of Silly” department, it’s sort of silly that I haven’t yet taken the time to jump into the music of Faces. Thanks to a Radio Free Wohlman podcast (which has been turning me on to some great music – highly recommended), I heard this live Faces version of the Stones’ “Love in Vain.” It’s one of my favorite Stones songs from one of my favorite albums, Let It Bleed.
How cool it is to hear this loose, bluesy, raw version with a young Rod Stewart on vocals.
Rod Stewart – vocals
Ronnie Lane – bass
Ronnie Wood – guitar
Kenny Jones – drums
Ian McLagan – keyboardsFaces – Love in Vain – live – from the Faces box set, Five Guys Walk into a Bar….
Here’s another great blues number, with Keith Richards joining in. This is after Ronnie Lane left the group and was replaced on bass by Tetsu Yamauchi.
“I’d Rather Go Blind”:
P.S. How did we ever survive without YouTube?
Prince’s Paris Affair
While Prince is in the midst of his 21 night stand in London town (which doesn’t include his early morning aftershows), I thought I might take the rest of us back to ’87 for a “Paris Affair”. Sign o’ the Times turned *gasp* 20 years old this year! It was released as a double album, and soon after as a “concert” movie. I say “concert”, because the majority of the footage in the movie was filmed at Paisley Park outside of Minneapolis. The original intent was to include footage from some shows in Belgium and Holland, but the quality was apparently lacking, so they re-shot it at Prince’s home sound stage.
As you’ll hear, Prince and his gang are in prime form this night in Paris, and lucky for us all, the sound quality of this show is Superb.
Prince
Palais Omnisports de Bercy
Paris
June 17, 19871. Sign O’ The Times
2. Play In The Sunshine
3. Little Red Corvette
4. Housequake
5. Girls & Boys
6. Slow Love
7. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
8. Hot Thing
9. Now’s The Time – Sheila E Drum Solo
10. Let’s Go Crazy
11. When Doves Cry
12. Purple Rain
13. 1999
14. The Cross
15. It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful NightOde to Vinyl
In honor of Vinyl Record Day on Sunday (the 130th anniversary of Thomas Edison‘s invention of the phonograph), JB over at The Hits Just Keep on Comin’ has organized a “blog swarm” of posts dedicated to the once dominant medium of vinyl records. I’m proud to be part of this swarm, so after you check out this post, be sure to click around to JB’s site for the main post, as well as the other great blogs involved (links down below).
Vinyl. LP’s. Records. Time marches on, and the music listening public at large distances themselves from the LP era, which covered the majority of the 20th century. For those of us older than, oh – let’s say 35? – a special little pocket of our music lovin’ hearts will always be reserved for vinyl records. Here are some random ramblings regarding my reverence toward the record.
ZZ Top’s El Loco First LP: As a bona fide music nerd, I can remember the very first album I ever bought. It was ZZ Top’s El Loco, which was released in November 1981. So it must have been about Christmas time when I walked into a Mankato, Minnesota mall and plopped down my
hard earnedallowance money for the record. The song that captured my fascination at the time, and inspired me to buy the record, was “Tube Snake Boogie.” I was 11 years old at the time, and while I didn’t know firsthand of what they were singing about, I had a pretty good idea. Having two older brothers didn’t hurt either. “I got a girl who lives on the hill, she won’t do it but her sister will.” Straight to the point.Albums that soon followed were REO Speedwagon’s Hi Infidelity, Foreigner 4, and the Scorpions’ Blackout.
Prince’s “Paisley Park” 12″ single Prince LP Mania: My vinyl collection grew significantly after September 1984, when I morphed into a Prince-loving animal. Many bus rides were taken to downtown Racine’s Mainstream Records to snatch up the latest Prince or Prince-related albums, 12″ singles, and 45’s. They’re still with me today. All of ’em. In protective plastic wrap. I’m just waiting for the day that my daughters get old enough to start thumbing through my Prince records, and they’ll see the Lovesexy album, and turn to me with a quizzical and confused look on their faces (Lovesexy, by the way, is probably the last LP I ever bought new).
Proud Papa: I gotta say though, my daughters will be well versed in all formats of music. My three year old already knows what LP’s, cassettes and CD’s are. And she can fire up a song in iTunes like nobody’s business. I can also play her any Beatles, Springsteen, or Prince song, and 90% of the time she nails it. Strummer or the Clash? She has about a 48% success rate. But we’re working on it. My poor daughters… They have no choice, do they? But I guess there are worse childhoods than spending it immersed in your dad’s music! As long as they’re not singing “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” or “Revolution no. 9” on their first day of kindergarten.
Hardware: My Yamaha turntable, which had served me since 1989, quit on me about a year ago. So by making good use of the Amazon Wish List feature, one of my birthday gifts last weekend was a new USB turntable. I’m back, baby! What’s more, my work buddy Jim up and quit his job and moved back to the east coast. But not before he handed over a couple of crates of vinyl to me.
So here are a handful of tunes ripped straight from vinyl, both from Jim’s collection, and mine. Though I’ve moved on to the digital age, and most of my music is in the form of mp3’s and CD’s (less and less), I’ll always be an album guy.
Vinylove:
- The feel.
- The artwork.
- The inserts.
- Placing the record on the turntable.
- Working for and appreciating your music.
- Flipping to side two.
- The art of putting the record back into the sleeve.
- Carefully handling the vinyl.
- Thumb on the edge, index and middle finger on the label.
- Appreciating your collection.
- Showing off your collection.
- Something to have and to hold…
A smattering of vinyl rips:
Sun City Artists United Against Apartheid – Sun City (mp3) – Little Steven’s 1985 anti-apartheid project.
Dead or Alive – Brand New Lover (mp3) – The Dust Monkey’s Love Bubble Mix – thanks Jim for the crate of albums!
John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band – Tender Years (mp3) – From the Eddie & The Cruisers – Soundtrack. One of he quality tracks from Boss sound-alike Cafferty.
John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band – On the Dark Side (mp3) – oh hell, I have to include this too…
Now on to the SWARM!
The contributors:
AM, Then FM
Bloggerhythms
The “B” Side
Davewillieradio
Echoes in the Wind
Flea Market Funk
Fufu Stew
Funky16Corners
Good Rockin’ Tonight
Got the Fever
In Dangerous Rhythm
It’s Great Shakes
Jefitoblog
Lost in the 80’s
Py Korry
Retro Remixes
The Snack Bar
The Stepfather of Soul
Three-Sixty-Five 45sM.I.A.
The Sri Lankan beauty’s new video for “Jimmy” has Ickmusic central breaking out in a hot Bollywood sweat! Zeowie!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9_Dk_F98cU]
M.I.A.’s Official Site (if you’re prone to seizures, do not visit)
Ickmusic Giveaway: Elvis!
August 16th will mark the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death. I am an Elvis fan.
Examples of my dedication to the King:
- If an Elvis movie is located while flipping the channels, normal day to day life is put on hold until the last of the credits roll. It doesn’t matter if it’s Clambake, King Creole, or Roustabout.
- The summer of 1989 included a pilgrimage to Graceland with my buddy Mark.
- I sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to my new bride at our 2003 wedding with my brother on guitar.
- I also sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love” with a full band as best man for my buddy Derek. It was an impromptu performance. I had hit the open bar juuust a bit too hard prior to my toast, and before I knew it, there I was, frozen in front of 500 people with not a coherent phrase in my head. Lucky for me, there was a band behind me. I turned around, asked the guys if they knew any Elvis, and they launched into “Can’t Help..” I went from the tipsy, embarrassed best man to matinée idol in a matter of minutes. My shining moment!
Elvis’s music has always connected with me. His last years were a tragedy for sure, but behind the troubled “Vegas Elvis”, underneath the uppers and the downers, was the same Elvis – a warm and compassionate spirit.
So on to the giveaway. On July 31st, Sony BMG released Elvis: Viva Las Vegas, which is a CD collection that “features music from and is inspired by the ABC television special ELVIS: VIVA LAS VEGAS – the visual chronicle of Elvis’s life during the Vegas years with particular focus on his music, his ground-breaking style and his legacy.” The ABC special will air on September 18th at 9pm EST.
Leave a comment below if you’d like a chance to win the CD. I’ll pick one in a few days.
Here are a couple of tracks that Sony is streaming…
Elvis Presley – See See Rider (Quicktime) | Viva Las Vegas (Quicktime)
For a special treat, listen to this performance of “Are You Lonesome Tonight” (not included on the CD). It’s the infamous “laughing version.” It starts off innocent enough, but as soon as Elvis sings “Do you stare at your bald head, and wish you had hair?”, well, all bets are off, and he basically loses his shit. It’s great!
Elvis’s Official Site.
August 11-18 is Elvis Week in Memphis.
LONG LIVE THE KING!!
Elvis: Viva Las Vegas Track Listing
1) Viva Las Vegas
2) See See Rider
3) The Wonder Of You
4) Polk Salad Annie
5) Release Me
6) Let It Be Me
7) I Just Can’t Help Believin’
8) Walk A Mile In My Shoes
9) Bridge Over Troubled Water
10) Patch It Up
11) You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
12) You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
13) An American Trilogy
14) Never Been To Spain
15) You Gave Me A Mountain
16) The Impossible Dream
.
